Sierra Leone’s year-on-year inflation stood at 13.30 percent in July, down from 14.36 percent in June, according to Statistics Sierra Leone. Western Area experienced the highest increase in prices among the four regions, from 17.29% in June to 18.36% in July. Prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages increased from 16.94 % in June to 17.26% in July. There was a decrease in prices of alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics (from 5.83% in June to 3.65% in July), housing, electricity, gas and other fuels (from 5.83% in June to 2.96% in July).
There were also price decreases in health (from 21.78% in June to 19.02% in July), transport (from 15.00% in June to 10.59% in July), in restaurant and hotels (from 28.65% in June to 23.12% in July) and in miscellaneous, and goods and services (from 8.87% in June to 2.93% in July).
However, there was an increase in prices of recreation and culture from 5.94 percent in June to 6.41 percent in July and communication from -1.29 percent in June to 5.56 percent in July.
By Ophaniel Gooding